The Gold Coast Pest Services Blog

The professional flea treatment

If you have ever had a flea infestation, you know how annoying and uncomfortable it can be. It may be tempting to run down to Bunnings and get a flea bomb, but unless you know how to carry out a complete flea treatment, the flea bomb will only help with the rooms you treat and more than likely the problem will return.

Flea-life cycle

As with any pest problem a successful pest treatment requires a good knowledge of the pest and their behaviour. If you have a flea problem, there will be fleas throughout the house and outdoor areas – basically anywhere the pets have been, with the real hotspots being the pet resting places.

Adult fleas lay their eggs on the pet, but they easily fall off and they concentrate in areas where the pet rests.

The larvae that hatch from the eggs look like small hairy worms. They are difficult to see and hide in cracks and crevices, as well as in soil, sand and shady areas (such as under the house or tree in the yard).

When they have finished developing, the larvae form a pupae, in which they change into an adult. These pupae can be difficult to kill with supermarket products.

Flea larvae

When it is ready, the adult flea emerges when they feel the vibrations of a potential meal going by! They hatch and quickly jump on board!

Preparing for a flea treatment

To get the best results from your flea treatment, there are a number of actions you can take before your pest professional arrives:

Treat your pets with a suitable veterinary product

Place pet bedding in a black plastic bag, seal and place in garbage

Thoroughly vacuum the whole house (especially rooms where the pet rests, under furniture and any cracks in floorboards). Once finished empty contents of the vacuum cleaner into plastic bag, seal and place in bin outdoors.

Wash bedding and furnishings that can be washed on a hot wash cycle. Alternatively place items in a sealed, black plastic bag in the sun to kill any fleas. If items cannot be washed or heat-treated, leave them in place for the treatment by the pest professional.

The flea treatment

A professional flea treatment will cover the whole house and outdoor areas. You will need to keep yourself, children and pets out of the treatment areas during application and remain out of the treatment areas until it is dry. Depending on the temperature, it is best to allow 1-2 hours before re-entering treatment areas.

The treatment will kill any adults and larvae immediately. In addition to the insecticide, there is an additional component, which “breaks the breeding cycle”, preventing any eggs from hatching. The treatment leaves a small amount of residual insecticide on the surface to target any pupae that may hatch in the week or so after treatment. Depending on the types of surface and the amount of cleaning, the treatment can persist for several months, providing lasting protection from fleas and other pests.

When it comes to fleas, you need a comprehensive treatment, not a quick treatment, to eliminate the problem and get lasting protection.